Air spring sleeve

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to an air spring sleeve comprising: an outer layer, at least one reinforcing layer, and an inner layer that form the sleeve; the outer layer and the inner layer are formed of an elastomeric composition, with the proviso that the elastomeric composition does not comprise epichlorohydrin; and the at least one reinforcing layer comprises a plurality of reinforcing elements disposed between a layer of the elastomeric composition, wherein the elastomeric composition of the at least one reinforcing layer is identical to the elastomeric composition of the outer layer and the inner layer.

This application is a continuation application of U.S. Non-Provisionalapplication Ser. No. 11/598,710, filed Nov. 14, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No.8,800,974, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to an air spring sleeve, and moreparticularly to an air spring sleeve comprising: an outer layer, atleast one reinforcing layer, and an inner layer forming the sleeve;wherein the outer layer and the inner layer are formed from anelastomeric composition, with the proviso that the elastomericcomposition does not comprise epichlorohydrin; and wherein the at leastone reinforcing layer comprises a plurality of reinforcing elementsdisposed between a layer of the elastomeric composition, wherein theelastomeric composition of the at least one reinforcing layer isidentical to the elastomeric composition of the outer layer and theinner layer.

Air springs are typically used in vehicular and industrial applications.In those applications, the air spring can serve, for example, to reduceroad damage, to stabilize a vehicle, to reduce motion and/or vibration,to support a load, and/or to enable adjustments for driving conditions.

Air springs typically include two end members which are connected torespective ends of an air sleeve. The air sleeve can be composed of afabric reinforced flexible bladder or sleeve. The air spring sleeveusually has opposed open ends which are connected to the end members by,for example, a clamp or swage ring to form a pressurized chamber withinthe sleeve. The flexible sleeve usually consists of inner and outerlayers of a non-reinforced elastomeric material with a plurality ofreinforcing schemes creating reinforcing layers sandwiched between theseinner and outer layers or combinations thereof.

The inner layer, the reinforcing layer and the outer layer are typicallymade from a flexible material. The modulus of the flexible material ofthe air sleeve should be low enough to continuously flex as the airspring moves from extended to compressed positions without deterioratingto provide a durable air spring. To achieve that flexibility anddurability, the art teaches a number of different sleeve constructionsas well as sleeve compositions.

For example, the inner layer may be a particular elastomericcomposition, while the outer layer may be of a different elastomericcomposition. The use of different elastomeric compositions for the innerand outer layers, however, creates a stress discontinuity between thedifferent layers of the air sleeve including the reinforcing layers. Inaddition, the use of a different rubber composition for each layer addsto the complexity of manufacturing the air sleeve.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,883 discloses an air spring bellows constructionwherein the bellows is formed of elastomeric material and reinforcedwith embedded fiber cords. Successive layers of cord are wound inannular bands, either in the rolling lobe or in the chamber portion, incombination with helical windings to change angles of the cord material.That provides an air spring design that compromises the spring rateeffect of a piston entering a chamber and increases the effectivediameter of an air spring without substantially increasing its volume.In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,929 describes the use of threerubberized cord fabric layers to generate a longer service life athigher inner pressures and small roll-off radii in the rolling lobe.

Moreover, U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2004/0248485 and2005/0084638 are directed to particular plycoats that encompassreinforcement cords in an effort, inter alia, to obtain high resistanceto deterioration of the bond with flexing of the air spring.

Instead of altering the composition of the sleeve layer or addingparticular reinforcing plies, the present inventors have discovered thata single rubber composition can be used throughout all the layers of thesleeve. In fact, epichlorohydrin rubber air springs on the market canuse the same compositional layers generating the air sleeve.Epichlorohydrin rubber, however, has inherent properties and limitationsthat would not suggest that other rubber compositions could be used in asimilar manner. Thus, it is desirable to use a single composition forall layers of an air spring sleeve, i.e., the inner layer, thereinforcing layer and the outer layer, wherein the composition does notinclude epichlorohydrin rubber. By using a single rubber composition,not only can manufacturing costs be reduced but also the degree ofcomplexity in the manufacturing process is reduced.

The present invention is directed to an air spring sleeve comprising: anouter layer, at least one reinforcing layer, and an inner layer formingthe sleeve; wherein the outer layer and the inner layer are formed of anelastomeric composition, with the proviso that the elastomericcomposition does not comprise epichlorohydrin; and wherein the at leastone reinforcing layer comprises a plurality of reinforcing elementsdisposed between a layer of the elastomeric composition, wherein theelastomeric composition of the at least one reinforcing layer isidentical to the elastomeric composition of the outer layer and theinner layer.

Additional advantages of the present invention will be set forth in partin the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the present invention. Theadvantages of the present invention will be realized and attained bymeans of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory onlyand are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of thepresent invention and together with the description, serve to explainthe principles of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an schematic view of an air spring having an air sleeve.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the construction of an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the construction of a furtherembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the construction of yet a furtherembodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the present exemplaryembodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numberswill be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

At least one embodiment of an air spring according to the presentinvention is shown in FIG. 1 and is indicated generally at 1. The airspring 1 can be any conventional air spring known to the art and to theliterature such as a reversible sleeve or convoluted spring, e.g.,single, double or triple convoluted.

As shown in FIG. 1, air spring 1 includes a top end member 2 and abottom end member 4 which is depicted as a usual piston. The air springsleeve, which is indicated generally at 6, is an elongated tubularmember which extends between end members 2 and 4 and can be attached,e.g., by a sealing clamp, thereagainst by swage rings 8 and 10respectively, and forms an internal pressure chamber 12 therein. Endmembers 2 and 4 are attached to two spaced members 14 and 16respectively, which may be parts of a motor vehicle, such as a vehiclechassis and vehicle axle, or any device where, e.g., cushioning isdesired between two spaced members such as in an industrial application.

As shown in FIGS. 2-4, sleeve 6 is formed of inner and outer layers 20and 26 respectively, which extend generally throughout the axial lengthof the air sleeve along with at least one reinforcing layer 22 disposedwithin. Inner layer 20 and outer layer 26 are formed from an elastomericcomposition. The at least one reinforcing layer 22 comprises a pluralityof reinforcing elements or cords 28 calendered within a thin layer ofthe elastomeric composition.

As used herein, “elastomeric composition” refers solely to the at leastone vulcanized rubber used to make the inner layer, the outer layer,and/or the at least one reinforcing layer. The vulcanized rubber can bechosen from, but not limited to, synthetic polyisoprene rubber, naturalrubber (NR), styrene/butadiene rubber (SBR), polybutadiene,polybutadiene rubber (BR), neoprene, ethylene/propylene rubber,ethylene/propylene/diene rubber (EPDM), acrylonitrile/butadiene rubber(NBR), silicone rubber, the fluoroelastomers, ethylene acrylic rubber,ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), chlorinated polyethylenerubbers, chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubbers, hydrogenated nitrilerubber, tetrafluoroethylene/propylene rubber and the like, with theproviso that the elastomeric composition does not compriseepichlorohydrin. Those vulcanized rubbers allow for the production of areversible sleeve and/or convoluted spring. In certain embodiments, theelastomeric composition comprises at least two vulcanized rubbers.

The outer layer, the inner layer, and/or the at least one reinforcinglayer can further comprise at least one optional ingredient generallyknown in the rubber compounding art such as, but not limited to, curingaids, activators, retarders, plasticizers, processing oils, resins,reinforcing resins, tackifying agents, fillers, pigments, fatty acids,zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, waxes, peptizing agents, any other additiveknow in the art, or mixtures thereof. Those ingredients may be presentin conventional amounts, as known in the art.

It is readily understood by those having skill in the art that theelastomeric composition would be compounded by methods generally knownin the rubber compounding art, such as mixing varioussulfur-vulcanizable constituent polymer(s) with various commonly usedadditive materials such as for example, curing aids, such as solublesulfur and/or insoluble sulfur, activators, retarders and accelerators,processing additives, such as oils and pine tar, resins, includingtackifying resins, plasticizers, pigments, fillers, fatty acid, zincoxide, waxes, stabilizers such as sterically hindered amines,anti-scorching agents such as N-cyclohexylthiophthalimide, antioxidantsand antiozonants, peptizing agents. As known to those skilled in theart, depending on the intended use of the vulcanized composition, theadditives mentioned above are selected and commonly used in conventionalamounts.

Typical amounts of tackifer resins, if used, comprise from about 0.5 toabout 10 phr, usually from about 1 to about 5 phr. Typical amounts ofprocessing aids comprise from about 1 to about 50 phr. Such processingaids can include, for example, aromatic, naphthenic, and/or paraffinicprocessing oils. Typical amounts of antioxidants, if used, comprise fromabout 1 to about 5 phr. Representative antioxidants may be, for examplediphenyl-p-phenylenediamine and others, such as for example, thosedisclosed in the Vanderbilt Rubber Handbook (1978), pages 344-346.Typical amounts of antiozonants, if used, comprise from about 1 to about5 phr.

As used herein, the term “phr” refers to parts by weight of a respectivematerial such as per 100 parts by weight of rubber, or elastomer.

Typical amounts of fatty acids, if used, which can include for example,stearic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid or mixtures of one or morefatty acids, comprise from about 0.5 to about 3 phr. Typical amounts ofzinc oxide, if used, comprise from about 2 to about 5 phr. Typicalamounts of waxes, if used, comprise from about 1 to about 5 phr. Incertain embodiments, microcrystalline waxes can be used. Typical amountsof peptizers, if used, comprise from about 0.1 to about 1 phr. Typicalpeptizers can include, for example, pentachlorothiophenol anddibenzamidodiphenyl disulfide.

The vulcanization is generally conducted in the presence of a sulfurvulcanizing agent. Examples of suitable sulfur vulcanizing agentsinclude, but are limited to, “rubbermaker's” soluble sulfur, sulfurdonating vulcanizing agents, such as an amine disulfide, polymericpolysulfide or sulfur olefin adducts; and insoluble polymeric sulfur.For example, the sulfur vulcanizing agent can be soluble sulfur ormixtures of soluble and insoluble polymeric sulfur. The sulfurvulcanizing agents can be used in an amount ranging from about 0.1 toabout 10 phr, such as from about 0.5 to about 5 phr, and from about 1.5to about 3.5 phr.

Accelerators can be used to control the time and/or temperature requiredfor vulcanization and to improve properties of the vulcanizate. Thevulcanization accelerators that can be used in the present invention arenot particularly limited. Examples include thiazol vulcanizationaccelerators, such as 2-mercaptobenzothiazol, dibenzothiazyl disulfide,N-cyclohexyl-2-benzothiazyl-sulfenamide (CBS),N-tert-butyl-2-benzothiazyl sulfenamide (TBBS), and the like; andguanidine vulcanization accelerators, such as diphenyl guanidine and thelike. The amount of the vulcanization accelerator used can range fromabout 0.1 to about 5 phr, such as from about 0.2 to about 3 phr.

The vulcanizable composition of the present invention can be obtained bymixing the components by using a milling apparatus, such as a mill, aninternal mixer, and the like. The ingredients are typically mixed in twoor more stages, consisting of at least a “master batch” stage in whichat least a portion of the polymeric sulfide compound, silica, carbonblack, and other ingredients are mixed at a high temperature, which maybe from about 165° C. to about 200° C., and a lower temperature “finalstage”, in which the curing agents are typically added. There may alsobe intermediate mixing stages in which the mixture is re-milled with orwithout the addition of ingredients. The mixing temperature and mixingtimes may vary from stage to stage, as is known to those skilled in theart.

In one embodiment, at least one reinforcing layer 22 and/or at least tworeinforcing layers 22 and 24, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, can bedisposed between inner and outer layers 20 and 26 and extend throughoutthe axial length of the air spring. Those layers 22 and 24 are of ausual construction consisting of a plurality of reinforcing elements orcords 28 calendered within a thin layer of the elastomeric material, asdescribed above. In usual air spring constructions, the cords will be ata bias angle and opposed to each other in the two reinforcing plies.

In addition, the at least one reinforcing layer should be able toprovide two dimensional enforcement. For example, with a singlereinforcing layer, the number and arrangement of reinforcing elements orchords can provide such enforcement.

In at least one embodiment of the present invention and illustrated inFIG. 4, the pair of reinforcing layers 22 and 24 are disposed between aninner layer 20 and a cover layer 30 and extend throughout the axiallength of the air spring. The outer layer 26 and the cover layer 30 mayor may not be the same. For example, the sleeve can include an innerlayer, at least two reinforcing layers, and outer layer or cover,respectively. Alternatively, the sleeve can include an inner layer, atleast two reinforcing layers, an outer layer, and a cover, respectively.

Before any processing, i.e., before layers of the air spring are cured,the overall thickness of the sleeve can range from about 0.08 inches toabout 0.50 inches, such as from about 0.10 inches to 0.25 inches, andfurther for example, from about 0.21 inches to about 0.25 inches. Insome embodiments, the inner layer of the air spring can range inthickness from about 0.02 inches to about 0.12 inches, or any fractionin between. A reinforcing layer with two layers can range in thicknessfrom about 0.02 inches to about 0.15 inches, or any fraction in between.The outer layer can range in thickness from about 0.02 inches to about0.12 inches, or any fraction in between. The range in thickness of thelayers of an air spring can vary based at least in part on, e.g., thetype of air spring, the number of layers comprising the air spring,and/or the end function of the air spring. Once the layers of the airspring sleeve are cured, the thickness of the sleeve can range fromabout 0.06 inches to about 0.49 inches, or any fraction in between.

In one embodiment, the present invention contemplates a four layeredsleeve or a three-layered sleeve. For example, in the four layeredsleeve, the inner layer is disposed on one side by two reinforcinglayers. This is done by passing them through a building machine, whichhas a series of rollers or drums that stack the individual layers on topof each other for curing. With one of the reinforcing layers, it canpass between the middle rollers, while the inner layer is fed from aboveand the second reinforcing layer is fed from below. Meanwhile, anotherroller has the inner layer wrapped around another drum. At this time,the reinforcing layers can be disposed at bias angles. Once the layersare stacked on top of each other, they are desleeved, placed into apress and cured. After that curing, components can be added such as thebead wire, piston, and bead plate to form a finished air spring.

In a three layered sleeve, one of the reinforcing layers is separatelymanufactured to the outer layer or cover to form an off balance skim.This way the sleeve can be manufactured as described above but with theinner layer, the other reinforcing layer and the off balanced skimreinforcing layer, as provided in FIG. 4.

Accordingly, by providing an air spring sleeve with the same rubbercomposition in each of the respective layers (i.e., the inner,reinforcing and outer layers), the complexity of the manufacturingprocess as well as the compounding process are reduced. That can resultin time and monetary savings. It also enables the tooling used toassemble the air springs to be utilized in a more efficient mannerbecause regardless of the layer, the same rubber material can be used.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because suchterms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadlyconstrued. Moreover, the description and illustration of the inventionis an example and the invention is not limited to the exact detailsshown or described.

Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled inthe art from consideration of the specification and practice of theinvention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification andexamples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spiritof the invention being indicated by the following claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for preparing an air springsleeve, the method comprising the steps of: preparing an outer layer, aninner layer, and at least one reinforcing layer, where said layers areeach formed from an identical composition, and where said compositioncomprises one or more sulfur-vulcanizable rubbers excludingepichlorohydrin, and from about 1.5 to about 3.5 parts by weight sulfurvulcanizing agent, per hundred parts rubber, where the composition doesnot include epichlorohydrin; disposing the one or more reinforcinglayers between the inner layer and the outer layer to form a sleeve; andat least partially curing the sleeve.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherethe one or more sulfur-vulcanizable rubbers are selected from the groupconsisting of polyisoprene rubber, natural rubber, styrene/butadienerubber, polybutadiene, polybutadiene rubber, neoprene,ethylene/propylene rubber, ethylene/propylene/diene rubber,acrylonitrile/butadiene rubber, silicone rubber, fluoroelastomer,ethyleneacrylic rubber, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, chlorinatedpolyethylene rubber, chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber, hydrogenatednitrile rubber, and tetrafluoroethylene/propylene rubber.
 3. The methodof claim 1, where the composition further comprises at least oneingredient selected from the group consisting of curing agents, cureactivators, retarders, plasticizes, processing oils, resins, reinforcingresins, tackifying agents, fillers, pigments, fatty acids, zinc oxide,magnesium oxide, waxes, peptizing agents, and combinations thereof. 4.The method of claim 1, where the composition further comprises fromabout 1 to about 5 parts by weight of antiozonant.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, where the composition further comprises from about 0.5 to about3 parts by weight fatty acids, per hundred parts rubber.
 6. The methodof claim 1, where the composition further comprises from about 2 toabout 5 parts by weight zinc oxide, per hundred parts rubber.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, where the composition further comprises from about0.1 to about 5 parts by weight vulcanization accelerator, per hundredparts rubber.
 8. The method of claim 1, where the composition furthercomprises from about 1 to about 5 parts by weight wax, per hundred partsrubber.
 9. The method of claim 1, where the composition furthercomprises from about 0.5 to about 10 parts by weight tackifier resin,per hundred parts rubber.
 10. The method of claim 1, where thecomposition further comprises from about 1 to about 50 parts by weightof one or more processing aids selected from the group consisting ofaromatic processing oils, naphthenic processing oils, and paraffinicprocessing oils, per hundred parts rubber.
 11. The method of claim 1,where the outer layer, the at least one reinforcing layer, and the innerlayer are calendered to form the sleeve.
 12. The method of claim 11,where the outer layer is calendered to at least one reinforcing layer,and the inner layer is calendered to at least one reinforcing layer. 13.The method of claim 12, where the sleeve comprises at least tworeinforcing layers.
 14. The method of claim 1, where the reinforcinglayer includes reinforcing elements, and where the reinforcing elementsare at a bias angle.
 15. The method of claim 1, where the cured sleevehas a thickness of from about 0.06 inches to about 0.49 inches.
 16. Themethod of claim 1, where the air spring sleeve is an elongated tubularmember of an air spring, where the air spring includes a top end memberand a bottom end member, and where the sleeve extends between the endmembers.
 17. The method of claim 1, where the composition comprises thevulcanized residue of at least polybutadiene rubber, natural rubber, andstyrene/butadiene rubber.
 18. A method for preparing an air springsleeve, the method comprising the steps of: preparing an outer layer, aninner layer, and at least one reinforcing layer, where said layers areeach formed from an identical composition, where said composition isprepared by combining: one or more sulfur-vulcanizable rubbers excludingepichlorohydrin, from about 1.5 to about 3.5 parts by weight sulfurvulcanizing agent, per hundred parts rubber, from about 1 to about 5parts by weight antiozonant, per hundred parts rubber, from about 0.5 toabout 10 parts by weight tackifier resin, per hundred parts rubber,where the composition comprises from about 1 to about 50 parts by weightof one or more processing aids selected from the group consisting ofaromatic processing oils, naphthenic processing oils, and paraffinicprocessing oils, per hundred parts rubber, from about 0.5 to about 3parts by weight fatty acids, per hundred parts rubber, from about 2 toabout 5 parts by weight zinc oxide, per hundred parts rubber, from about0.1 to about 5 parts by weight vulcanization accelerator, per hundredparts rubber, and from about 1 to about 5 parts by weight wax, perhundred parts rubber; disposing the one or more reinforcing layersbetween an inner layer and an outer layer to form a sleeve, where theouter layer, inner layer, and one or more reinforcing layers comprisesaid composition; and at least partially curing the sleeve.
 19. A methodfor preparing an air spring sleeve, the method comprising the steps of:preparing an outer layer, an inner layer, and at least one reinforcinglayer, where said layers are each formed from an identical composition,and where said composition comprises one or more sulfur-vulcanizablerubbers, and at least 1.5 parts by weight, per hundred parts rubber, ofa sulfur vulcanizing agent that is selected from the group consisting ofsoluble sulfur, sulfur donating vulcanizing agents, and insolublepolymeric sulfur, where the composition does not includeepichlorohydrin; disposing the one or more reinforcing layers betweenthe inner layer and the outer layer to form a sleeve; and at leastpartially curing the sleeve.
 20. The method of claim 19, where thesulfur donating vulcanizing agent is selected from the group consistingof amine disulfide, polymeric polysulfide, sulfur olefin adducts, andcombinations thereof.
 21. A method for preparing an air spring sleeve,the method comprising the steps of: preparing a composition comprisingat least two members of the group consisting of polyisoprene rubber,natural rubber, styrene/butadiene rubber, polybutadiene, polybutadienerubber, neoprene, ethylene/propylene rubber, ethylene/propylene/dienerubber, acrylonitrile/butadiene rubber, silicone rubber,fluoroelastomer, ethyleneacrylic rubber, ethylene vinyl acetatecopolymer, chlorinated polyethylene rubber, chlorosulfonatedpolyethylene rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, andtetrafluoroethylene/propylene rubber, and at least 1.5 parts by weight,per hundred parts rubber, of a sulfur vulcanizing agent that is selectedfrom the group consisting of soluble sulfur, sulfur donating vulcanizingagents, and insoluble polymeric sulfur, where the composition does notinclude epichlorohydrin; preparing one or more reinforcing layers bycalendering a plurality of reinforcing elements or cords within a thinlayer of the composition; disposing the one or more reinforcing layersbetween an inner layer and an outer layer to form a sleeve, where theouter layer, inner layer, and one or more reinforcing layers comprisesaid composition; and at least partially curing the sleeve.
 22. Themethod of claim 21, where the sulfur donating vulcanizing agent isselected from the group consisting of amine disulfide, polymericpolysulfide, sulfur olefin adducts, and combinations thereof.